One of the most feared and maligned men in the early records of Warwick was the Shawomet sachem, Pomham. Unfortunately, because the Native Americans left no written records, we have only one side of the story of the sachem’s life and significance. Problems between the European settlers and the natives in Shawomet were inevitable, as the two diverse cultures clashed in the 17th century. Misunderstandings, prejudice, religious concepts as well as greed and the need for survival loomed large. In addition, Pomham, perhaps more than any other sachem, received mixed messages from the Europeans, who were often divided and used him to gain their own ends.

In the early 17th century, Pomham’s village was on Warwick Neck and its occupants were engaged in agriculture as well as hunting and fishing. When on Jan. 12, 1642-43 Samuel Gorton and 11 of his followers signed a deed known as the Shawomet Purchase with Miantonomi, the “chief Sachem of the Narragansetts,” Pomham, sachem of the Shawomets, and a number of others witnessed the transaction, and it was believed agreed to the terms set by Gorton and his followers. At that time, the Englishmen in Shawomet were very few and it was not until later that Pomham realized the Gortonites wanted Warwick Neck for themselves.

According to a few Rhode Island historians, Pomham is reported to have come under the influence of William Arnold and the “Pawtuxet Men” who used him as a foil against Gorton. They played upon Pomham’s confusion regarding the demands of the Gortinites and prevailed upon him to denounce the Shawomet treaty. They urged Pomham to protest that he signed the treaty out of fear of reprisals from Miantonomi if he refused. Socononoco, sachem of Pawtuxet, also felt the treaty was null and void, as he didn’t sign it. This enabled Arnold to appeal to Massachusetts to declare the Shawomet Purchase illegal.

Acting on the submission of Pomham and Socononoco, the Massachusetts General Court sent a letter to the purchasers of Shawomet demanding their presence before the court to answer the charges of the Indian sachems. In September 1643 a letter signed by Randall Holden but most likely written by Gorton answered the Massachusetts demand. It denounced Pomham’s conduct, charging that the Indians under the “shield of Massachusetts” were committing outrages against them. Massachusetts sent soldiers to arrest the Gortonites and also to protect Pomham from Miantonomi and the Gorton settlers.

Even after the Gortonites were given the protection of Robert Rich and the English government, Pomham continued to live on Warwick Neck and defied any attempts to force him from the village. In 1648 John Smith, on behalf of Warwick, complained to the New England Commissioners that “the Indians had killed their cattle, entered their houses by force and had committed other acts of violence.”

After Miantonomi had been killed, Pomham, fearing the Narragansetts would accuse him of treason and that he would be attacked, asked the Massachusetts Bay Colony for more assistance. According to O.P. Fuller, “an officer and ten soldiers had been sent to assist Pomham to build a fort and remain with them until the danger was over. Tradition,” he says, “locates this fort on the east bank of Warwick Cove, nearly opposite the Oakland Beach grounds in the estate of John Holden….”

By 1665, the King’s Commission ordered that “Pumham and the Indians with him shall plant their corne this year…and that before the next planting time, he, and all the Indians with him shall remove to some other place….”

Pomham and the Shawomets remained on Warwick Neck for another 10 years in defiance of all attempts to oust them.